Mason jars salads have become a popular brown bag lunch item. For foodies who enjoy what they eat that much more when it looks great, mason jars are an attractive way to ship your food from home to the office. Certainly more so than that beat-up Tupperware with the mix-matched lid and the elastic band holding it all together. But mason jar lunches don't only look good – they can also help you stay healthy. Keep fresh food fresh and plan out your portions in these versatile containers.

MASON JAR PARFAITS

This is a breakfast that can taste as good as dessert. Pick your favorite yogurt, fruit, and granola and layer it all in to make a parfait to go. Because your jar will force you to layer your ingredients vertically, you don’t have to worry about mushy granola when you go to dig in.

MASON JAR SALADS

Keep your veggies crunchy by layering your ingredients in your mason jar. By pouring in your dressing first and then putting in your sturdiest veggies you won’t have to chew through soggy lettuce come lunchtime.

MASON JAR SMOOTHIES

Smoothies can definitely be good for you – all those fruits and veggies are full of nutrients and if you add yogurt you’re getting protein and calcium that your body needs too. But there can be too much of a good thing. If you’re heavy on the fruits or drinking smoothies very often, you’re also drinking a lot of sugar. So if you need to track your sugar intake, make your smoothie in a smaller mason jar and you’ll still be getting the good stuff, while limiting the stuff you don’t need.

Bonus: Make less mess! Try the mason jar blender trick from The Kitchn.

MASON JAR COMFORT FOOD

Eating healthy is hard and sometimes you need to give into the craving for your favorite hearty comfort foods. Mason jars can help with that too! Follow one of these recipes to make comfort food – like mac and cheese – in mason jars that will help you control your portion size.